The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard Review

The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard

I've always been a fan of Sara's writing, ever since I was gifted the first ten books in the Pretty Little Liars series right after the show first aired on ABC Family, and have loved her books ever since. I already have a review of The Good Girls, the second and final installment in this series, up on my blog, in case you want to check that out as well :) I didn't really know what to expect from this book, mainly because I didn't really know much about the plot when I first bought the book. I had an idea of what was going to happen, but didn't have enough information to really have a steady grasp on what was about to come - and I'm glad for that. The best thing for someone who is about to read this is to not really know much about the book, it adds to the mystery of the book. I really enjoyed meeting all of these new and unique characters that Sara created, and found that none of them were characters that I didn't really connect with or understand. The entire premise of the story is so interesting, and will definitely draw the reader in as they begin to dive deeper into the world of The Perfectionists, and learn that everything is not what it seems. I was never bored while reading this story, and felt that the pace was very well played out and easy to follow as reader and gave the story just enough push that the reader would be able to finish the book in one sitting if they were determined to do so. The twists and turns that Sara includes in the book are truly some that I have never seen before, and it is completely refreshing to be able to see the normal tropes from YA novels be broken down and formed into something new. Anyone who is a fan of Sara's series Pretty Little Liars or The Lying Game will greatly appreciate this novel, as well as fans of The Good Girl by Mary Kubica (similar titles, both completely different and amazing stories!) The mystery, character development, and relationships between characters are all truly stunning, and will indulge any reader who picks up this book.

“She just looked tired. Like she battled the world and the world had won.” 

― Sara Shepard, The Perfectionists

Saving Montgomery Sole by Mariko Tamaki Review + BOOK TOUR

Saving Montgomery Sole by Mariko Tamaki Review

I’m so glad to be a part of the Blog Tour for this book, which was put together by Nori from ReadWriteLove28; thank you so much for including me in this tour and providing me with a copy of this novel! I’m also so proud to be able to participate in this tour during Pride Month, and though I am not a member of the LGBT community, I am a proud supporter of equal love :) This was such an AMAZING book, the representation alone was astounding, and how authentic and realistic it was truly left me as a reader feeling as if I was able to look into the lives of these characters and see something that could be evident in real life. The main character, Montgomery Sole, was a relatable character thatI was able to connect with as a person who is hit with struggles in life, but also as a teenage girl that is going through high school and all of the drama that comes with it. She is put through an experience that is definitely a defining moment in her life, and while she doesn’t handle it well at first, she comes around and finds her way to finding a solution to the problems that have been the result of Montgomery and her antics. The dealing with of the arrival of a man and his debatable views takes the stronghold as Montgomery and her friends’ lives are affected by the influence that he begins to hold over the town. The development of this situation was written very well, and added an aspect to Montgomery’s life that allowed her to be able to realize how her actions are affecting those around her as well as how she is changing as a person as well. The author finds a way to pull everything that happens in Montgomery and the town’s lives together and resolve the major issues that are affecting how they live and how they treat those around them. The Eye of Know plays a decent sized part throughout the story, causing some major problems for some of the town’s most, shall we say “aggressive,” people. I absolutely adored this book and the message that it portrays, and highly recommend this to everyone who needs a nice contemporary read with a dash of self-discovery.

GIVEAWAY: There are 5 (yes, 5!) copies of Saving Montgomery Sole up for grabs - US only

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4197540e86/

Hair in All the Wrong Places by Andrew Buckley Review + BOOK TOUR + GIVEAWAY

Hair in All the Wrong Places by Andrew Buckley

Review: I'm so glad to be a part of "Hair in All the Wrong Places" Book Tour! Thank you so much to Chapter by Chapter for sending me a review copy of this novel and having me as a tour host! I really enjoyed the essence of the story  - it is a quick read that is light and fluffy, definitely for someone who enjoys a type of Middle Grade fantasy. The main character is relatable and is easily understood throughout the entire book, and I found myself really enjoying what Colin had to say rather than wanting to skip to the action part of the plot. All of the characters are unique in their own ways and that element really assists the writing style as well, for you can tell when a certain character is talking without needing the extra "so and so said" at the end of each piece of dialogue. This was such a cute read, and I liked the romantic aspect as well, adding it in made the readers be able to root for the character and his love interest all while hoping that everything would turn out okay in the end. The romance did not over power the true nature and plot of the book, and for that I am thankful - we were able to focus at the problems at hand and not have the romance shadow over everything else that was happening throughout the novel. I highly recommend this book to fans of werewolf novels and any Middle Grade fantasy novel as well. I'm really looking forward to reading more of Andrew's writing and seeing more of his characters.

Publication Date: June 7, 2016

Publisher: Month9Books

What has he done?

What’s happening to him?

And what on Earth is that smell?

For Colin Strauss, puberty stinks. Blackouts, hallucinations, and lapses in memory are the perils of growing up werewolf.

Worse than that, Colin worries he might have had something to do with the recent attacks on the townspeople. He may have eaten a person. It doesn’t matter that it’s someone he doesn’t particularly like. What kind of boy goes around eating people?

Foolishly, all Colin can think about is how Becca Emerson finally kissed him for the first time. Yep, hormones are afoot.

Yikes!

But girls will have to wait. Collin better get himself under control before someone else ends up hurt or worse . . . dead.

Link to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25014122-hair- in-all- the-wrong- places

Purchase Links:

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

About the Author: Andrew Buckley attended the Vancouver Film School’s Writing for Film and Television program. After pitching and developing several screenplay projects for film and television, he worked in marketing and public relations, before becoming a professional copy and content writer. During this time Andrew began writing his first adult novel, DEATH, THE DEVIL AND THE GOLDFISH, followed closely by his second novel, STILTSKIN. He works as an editor for Curiosity Quills Press. Andrew also co-hosts a geek movie podcast, is working on his next novel, and has a stunning amount of other ideas. He now lives happily in the Okanagan Valley, BC with three kids, one cat, one needy dog, one beautiful wife, and a multitude of characters that live comfortably inside of his mind. Andrew is represented by Mark Gottlieb at the Trident Media Group.

Giveaway Information: Contest ends June 24, 2016

 One (1) winner will receive a scrabble tile book cover charm (US ONLY)

 Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Hair in the Wrong Places by Andrew Buckley (INT)

Rafflecopter Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c08c9e8e554/?

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell Review

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I was so excited to finally get my hands on this book, and had such high expectations for it. I had already read Landline by her, and thought that I should finally give Fangirl a try. As soon as I started the novel, I instantly connected with Cath, the main character. I too am a twin and love to read, so it made relating with the character very easy for me. The storyline did not go where I thought it was going to go, but maybe that was because I didn’t know much about the novel when I first received a copy. The only real problems I had with this novel was the fact that there was a decent about of cursing, but what else could you expect from college students. There were some characters that I couldn’t really picture in my head from their descriptions, but that didn’t affect the way that I read or interpreted the novel. I suggest that when considering reading this novel, be considerate of your age - anyone who is below the age of 16/17 should be warned that the language and situations may be a little mature for you. The overall impression that I got from this novel that it was a fun, quick read that anyone who is planning to go to college, is in college, or wants a cute read will enjoy this story. Fans of contemporary novels should definitely check this book out as well, it’ll fit right into that classic contemporary feel.

“To really be a nerd, she'd decided, you had to prefer fictional worlds to the real one.” 
― Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl

The Rose and The Dagger by Renée Ahdieh

The Rose and The Dagger by Renée Ahdieh

Oh. My. God. This book was everything that I had wanted and more. I absolutely love Renee’s writing, and this series is one of my favorite fantasy/romances that is published. The world of The Wrath and The Dawn is truly exceptional, from the beautifully written characters to the breath-catching plot and setting, it draws the reader into the story. Never once did I become bored with the storyline or have to force myself to read through certain parts of the book - everything flowed so smoothly and effortlessly that it allows the reader to completely immerse themselves into the story and connect with the characters. Speaking of characters, the author did a masterful job in writing the character development from The Wrath and The Dawn to this sequel as well as the development in this novel as well. You will fall in love with the story of these characters as they live through the hardships of their world as well as they discover who they are inside. I suggest reading the three novellas that go alongside this series (read in order) so that you will have a better understanding of who the characters are and how their minds work, as well as having that extra background information on them before you advance any further in the story. I highly recommend this series to fans of A Thousand Nights by E.K. Jonston and A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, as all three of these series capture the essence of a beautifully told retelling.

“Love is a force unto itself, sayyidi. For love, people consider the unthinkable...and often achieve the impossible. I would not sneer at its power.” 
― Renee Ahdieh, The Wrath & the Dawn

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Review

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 

 I absolutely adored this book! Jane Austen was able to create characters that draw you into their lives and make the reader committed to their every move. The plot never dropped - I was always turning the pages and only set it down when I had to. The writing was beautiful, even though it’s been said that this style of writing is hard to understand, I understood every word and was completely immersed into the story. You’ll fall in love with the relationships between the characters and root for their success and cringe in their downfall. I laughed, I cried. People who are already fans of Austen’s work will thoroughly enjoy this story, and will definitely appreciate the novel. These are some of my favorite characters in the literature world, and hold a dear place in my heart. The romance is not overplayed, and isn’t the center of the entire novel, which is refreshing to see. I only had a few problems while reading it, which were that only at one point that the story seemed to drag out a bit, and that it seemed that Elizabeth was allowing people to control her life and what she did. Overall, this book left a huge impression on me, and I highly recommend this novel to anyone who wants to start reading classic novels that are full of intrigue and choices.

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” 
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick Review

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

This book had a very interesting premise, and I have to say that Matthew Quick did a very good job displaying the main character’s inner thoughts and feelings throughout the book. The concept of having the footnotes really intrigued me and I have to say that at times, while they did get excessive at points, were very insightful to the plot. However, I felt that the main character was worked up over small things that normally wouldn’t bother anyone. While I understand why he was upset throughout the book, it felt as if he directed all of his rage on one single thought that didn’t hold as much significance in his life. I completely understand why Leonard was angry at Asher and his mother, and feel for him. Though at some points, it felt as if he was rambling on about useless things in life, which caused me to have to make myself read through long passages of him talking about random topics. I really wanted to love this book, but it had those little things that did not meet my expectations. I do, however, look forward to reading more of his novels, and see how they flow as well.

“You're different. And I'm different too. Different is good. But different is hard. Believe me, I know.” 
― Matthew Quick, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock